Box Score HOLLAND, Mich. – In the last weekend of play before the final rankings are released for ACHA Division 3 hockey, the Panthers picked up two key wins as they swept Hope College, the No.2 team in the North Region. Donald Sund led DU with two goals and assist while Jordan Steger added a goal and two assists. Davenport will try to stay perfect on the weekend as they face Adrian-Gold 4:00 PM Sunday at Paterson Ice Center.

It was a physical game from the start as both teams exchanged big hits. Davenport took a 1-0 lead just over seven minutes into the game as Daniel Swink found Branden Burton between the circles for a power play goal. 24 seconds later the Dutchmen fired back with a goal by Digison to tie the game 1-1. In the final minutes of the first period Hope took their first lead of the game when Justin Glick scored on a major power play.

In the second period the Panthers pulled even with 10:39 left in the period when Donald Sund buried a shot after a mad scramble in front of the net. Several minutes later the Panthers took their second lead of the game after Sund set up Jordan Steger. Following the goal the Panthers were called for excessive celebration and Glick scored his second power play goal of the night to tie the game at 3-3 heading into the final period.

Both teams came out hungry for a goal in the final period and had several scoring chances. The Dutchmen enjoyed back to back power plays with fewer than ten minutes to play in the third, but the Panthers penalty kill came up with two big defensive stands against the Dutchmen's potent power play. Right after Hope's second power play the Panthers went on a power play of their own but struggled to maintain possession inside the Dutchmen zone. Soon after Davenport's power play expired, Burton carried the puck into Hope's zone and dropped the puck back to Steger who fired a pass across to Sund for the go ahead goal. In the final minute the Dutchmen pulled their goalie hoping to net the equalizer, but he Panthers defense stood strong to earn a 4-3 victory.  

Post-Game Quotes - Head Coach Chris Green.

On first conference title and first sweep of Hope “I want to give a shout out to all the vets and all the guys that played in this program that have made it in to what it is today. The guys right now have just taken that team to another level, and I think that one, I want to thank the guys that got us here, were not stopping. They have built a great foundation for us, and two, all were going to do from here on out is continue to build on it and continue to get faster, quicker, stronger until we bring home a title.”

Post-Game Notes
Hope went 2-6 on the power play while the Panthers went for...The Dutchmen outshot Davenport 42-31….This is the first time the Davenport has swept Hope in a weekend series.  

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